Philosophy by bicycle

Saturday 25 July 2009

Cycle tracks will abound in Utopia. H.G. Wells

Whether you are negotiating the perils of urban traffic or relishing the freedom of an empty road, riding a bike engages all the senses. From what better vehicle to negotiate some of the trickier questions thrown up by Western philosophy?

Join philosopher Nigel Warburton and cyclist Jack Thurston for this unique day of rigorous thinking and gentle freewheeling. Winding our way through the back streets and hidden cycle ways of East London, we will cover almost 24 miles and almost as many key thinkers.

We’ll set off from Tour de Ville on Lamb Lane near Broadway Market in Hackney and will take in sites including the Thames Barrier, the Isle of Dogs, the Woolwich ferry and the Greenwich Foot Tunnel. Along the way our minds will pedal into higher and higher gears as we contemplate essential questions of identity, freedom, idealism and hedonism. There will also be plenty of time for breaks as we stop to discuss the ethics of climate change, the metaphysics of time or the inclination of long-distance cyclists towards existentialism.  

Suitable for all levels of cycling and philosophy, the route will be mainly along signed cycle routes and minor roads. You will need to bring your own bicycle (which needn’t be anything fancy).

Nigel Warburton is a leading British philosopher. He is responsible for  www.philosophybites.com which has received well over three million downloads. His interests include the ethics of free speech, aesthetics, photography and architecture.

Jack Thurston is a London-based writer and broadcaster. He presents The Bike Show on Resonance 104.4 fm, described by Zoe Williams in The Guardian as 'a gem on the airwaves'. Jack's writing on cycling has appeared in The Guardian, Prospect, Rouleur and Cycling Plus.